Paladin
A paladin was a crusader, sworn to an oath to promote and fight for their beliefs and values. As paragons of their beliefs, paladins were granted the ability to wield divine magic by deities or similar powers. So long as a paladin stayed true to their oath, they retained the ability to wield these powers. The life of a paladin more commonly attracted good persons to it than those with malice in their heart, but evil paladins were not unheard of. Notable Paladins Pahlin Holt Steinthor Drakeson Rilken Sureclaw Yggritte of Yod Culture The defining characteristic of a paladin was their oath, which most frequently called upon a paladin to battle the forces of evil and to defend justice wherever they could. Precisely how a paladin defined these values differed from one paladin to another and some swore their oath as a form of religious devotion, dedicating themselves to the values of a particular god. Others, however, simple held themselves to a particularly powerful sense of right and wrong, which was in of itself enough to attract the favor of the divine. Evil paladins sometimes served as champions of primordials or fiends, committing atrocities like the sacrifice of sapients in exchange for unholy power. All paladins, regardless of whom they served and how they acted, were expected to serve as sworn defenders of their beliefs, smiting those who would debase or devalue them. Lawful or good individuals were more likely to feel the call to serve as a paladin than others, making most paladins lawful good. As a result, most commoners viewed the paladin to be, by default, lawful good, though this was not necessarily true. Paladins who did worship good or lawful gods tended towards the worship of deities such as the Empyrean deities, Eo, Bahamut, Bristol, Yggritte, or the Daern. All paladins adhered to a code of conduct of some sort, though the strictures of their oath often differed significantly from one paladin to another. It was from this code that paladins derived their nature as the purist champions of whatever cause they served. Few paladins truly “chose” their career and for many becoming a paladin was more like answering a call to destiny, sometimes quite literally from a god or angel. A rare few felt compelled to the paladin's path since their early youth, as though sent into the world with a divine purpose. It was often said that becoming a paladin was something that was either within one's nature or not and though an individual could reject the divine call that beckoned them, no one could become a paladin who did not have the necessary conviction. Most people who did feel the compulsion to become a paladin began their training early in life, often as adolescents. Many were squires or assistants to more experienced paladins, training for years before they came into their own as champions of their cause. Others heard or answered the call only late in life, after having pursued a different career, possibly in response to a terrible catastrophe like the destruction of their home. The adventuring lifestyle came easily to most paladins, regardless of their origin. Although exceedingly rare among the general populace, paladins were disproportionately likely to pursue a life of adventure compared to most other warriors. Once a paladin swore their oath their loyalty to their was second to none, coming before crown or country. This strength of conviction gave many paladins a sense of common fellowship but did not always endear them to others. In many cases, paladins did not get along quite as well with other non-paladin adventurers, with the exception of clerics with similar beliefs. Many paladins were humans or half-elves, whose shared sense of ambition and purpose made the two races excellent champions of an ideal or the divine. Dwarves were in some ways also well-suited for such a life, owing to their cultural tradition of discipline and religious devotion, though the oath of a paladin meant putting ideals before family and clan, which could be hard on dwarves. Among dwarves, hill dwarves made uncommonly good paladins. Elven paladins were also relatively rare, partially due to the chaotic tendencies of both races, although silver elves were commonly zealous enough to be paladins. Among other races, paladins were far rarer still, with the exception of perian halflings. Paladins could also be found widely in the regions of Findle and Thessan. Abilities Paladins, like clerics, were granted their divine powers, known as prayers, through the strength of faith, to the principle object of their devotion was their cause and not their god. Like clerics, paladins could enhance these prayers with a holy symbol. Paladins also possessed the ability to funnel the power of the gods through their own body in a special ability known as Channel Divinity. This power allowed paladins a number of abilities, such as turning the undead or other creatures or increasing the power of their attacks. Some paladins also had access to special variations of Channel Divinity dependent on the specific god they worshiped, with a paladin of Bahamut and one of the Daern having different abilities. In battle paladins were exceptionally good combatants, equivalent in power to fighters, trained in the use of all forms of armor and all melee weapons. Like fighters, paladins trained themselves to master a particular fighting style, such as the use of armor, dueling with one weapon, fighting with a great weapon, or shielding allies from harm. With additional training, paladins could learn to attack more quickly, again much like fighters. Paladins could combine their martial and divine abilities for a powerful effect, expending some of their divine power to enhance an attack with a divine smite that channeled positive energy into the attack, an ability which improved as a paladin grew more powerful. Some paladins could also use similar, less powerful attacks known as strikes. Most if not all strikes and smites required a paladin to be wielding a weapon when casting. Paladins could also use their divine power to protect their allies, scorching foes who attacked their companions with radiant power that interfered with an enemy's attacks. Paladins were also trained in healing, though to a lesser extent than clerics. All paladins possessed an ability known as Lay on Hands, which instantly healed the minor wounds of a comrade and helped them get back on their feet. Their connection to the divine also gave them immunity to practically all disease and allowed them to exude auras of courage and protection them and allied creatures immune to fear and more resistant to the effects of mental or physical stress. The most experienced paladins could also use their divine magic to dispel the effect of any spell on themselves or another creature up to a number of times per day dependent upon their conviction and personal magnetism. Many paladins had other abilities to aid them in their journey. Many good paladins, for instance, had the capacity to detect evil within their presence. It was also traditional for paladins to be trained in riding and several paladins owned mounts who were gifted with sapience and supernatural strength as a boon by the paladin's divine patron. All of these abilities were granted at the behest of the paladin's patrons. If a paladin violated the code of conduct laid down by his or her patron, then they could be deprived of their divine abilities, particularly if they showed no sign of repentance. Once "fallen," a paladin could not regain their abilities without appealing to their patron and atoning for their “sins” in an appropriate manner. More minor transgressions could be forgiven through acts of atonement such as an all-night vigil of prayer or fasting. Paladin oaths All paladins swore a series of vows binding them to a particular ethos or set of beliefs that would guide their actions. The most important of these vows, taken after a paladin had some experience fighting and traveling under their belt, were known as a paladin's oath and were the final capstone to all their prior preparations. The edicts of this oath differed significantly from one oath to the next, but some of the most commonly sworn oaths are listed below. Oath of the Ancients Strongly associated with druids, the Order of the Ancients and elves, the Oath of the Ancients was a promise to defend the natural world and all of its creatures against the forces of death and decay. Paladins who swore the Oath of the Ancients — commonly known as fey knights, green knights, or horned knights — were commonly neutral good and cared less for abstract principles like honor or freedom and more for deeply resonant sentiments like joy, kindness, and beauty. Above all else, the Oath of Ancients valued the preservation of life. It's four main tenets were: * Kindle the Light. Through your acts of mercy, kindness, and forgiveness, kindle the light of hope in the world, beating back despair. * Shelter the Light. Where there is good, beauty, love, and laughter in the world, stand against the wickedness that would swallow it. Where life flourishes, stand against the forces that would render it barren. * Preserve Your Own Light. Delight in song and laughter, in beauty and art. If you allow the light to die in your own heart, you can't preserve it in the world. * Be the Light. Be a glorious beacon for all who live in despair. Let the light of your joy and courage shine forth in all your deeds. For their service, paladins sworn to the Oath of the Ancients were granted a number of potent boons. These paladins could use their Channel Divinity ability to turn fey or fiends and return them to their natural form if they were shapeshifted. The Oath of the Ancients allowed paladins to project from themselves a powerful sphere of warding across a radius of 10 feet or more, protecting themselves and other nearby creatures from enemy spells. The most experienced paladins could even transform themselves into a manifestation of natural fury, taking on such changes in appearance as bark-like skin, leafy hair, or newly grown antlers. This shapeshifting made paladins' spells more potent and also allowed them to both heal and cast magic more quickly. Oath of Devotion The favorite of paladins who imagined themselves knightly heroes, the Oath of Devotion called upon all those sworn to it to adhere to the highest principles of righteousness, foregoing all loyalties but to the pursuit of justice and the protection of the innocent. Paladins belonging to this oath were often known as cavaliers, white knights, or holy warriors and were almost always lawful good. Idolizing angels as the servants of lawful or good deities, paladins sworn to the Oath of Devotion held themselves (and sometimes others) to an extremely high standard of behavior. The key principles of the Oath of Devotion were the following: * Honesty. Don't lie or cheat. Let your word be your promise. * Courage. Never fear to act, though caution is wise. * Compassion. Aid others, protect the weak, and punish those who threaten them. Show mercy to your foes, but temper it with wisdom. * Honor. Treat others with fairness, and let your honorable deeds be an example to them. Do as much good as possible while causing the least amount of harm. * Duty. Be responsible for your actions and their consequences, protect those entrusted to your care, and obey those who have just authority over you. Although the Oath of Devotion was not a path for the weak of spirit, it did have its reward. Paladins with the Oath of Devotion were as capable of turning the undead as any cleric and could turn fiends as well. The gods of law and good who favored those sworn to the Oath also granted them access to a number of potent spells, such as sanctuary, dispel magic, and flame strike. Additionally, the purity of a truly experienced paladin of Devotion was such that they were always under the effect of the protection from evil and good ''spell, even when it had not been cast. Oath of Vengeance While many paladins were paragons of virtue and honor, not all were. In some times and places, a different paladin was called upon, one who was willing to do what other paladins were not. These paladins — sometimes known as avengers or dark knights — were sworn to the Oath of Vengeance, a dark pact to utterly destroy the unrighteous by any means necessary. Unconcerned with honor or spiritual purity, paladins sworn to the Oath of Vengeance were most frequently neutral or lawful neutral in alignment and were sworn only to uphold the following values: * '''Fight the Greater Evil.' Faced with a choice of fighting my sworn foes or combating a lesser evil, I choose the greater evil. * No Mercy for the Wicked. Ordinary foes might win my mercy, but my sworn enemies do not. * By Any Means Necessary. My qualms can't get in the way of exterminating my foes. * Restitution. If my foes wreak ruin on the world, it is because I failed to stop them. I must help those harmed by their misdeeds. In order to pursue their goal of divinely sanctioned retribution, paladins sworn to the Oath of Vengeance were granted access to a number of spells such as bane, haste, or scrying, as well as a number of other powerful abilities. With training these paladins became relentless hunters, possessed of a supernatural focus that let them close in on a fleeing foe after striking them once in flight. The most powerful of those who followed the Oath of Vengeance were also capable of shapeshifting into the form of an angel, sprouting fully functional wings from their back and radiating an aura of supernatural menace into a sphere of 60 feet in diameter, frightening all but the most strong-willed foes. Oath of the Crown (Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide, page 132) Oath of Conquest (Xanathar's Guide to Everything, page 37) Oath of Redemption (Xanathar's Guide to Everything, page 38) Oathbreaker (Dungeon Master's Guide, page 97) Oath of Trechary (Unearthed Arcana) Oath of Fervor On the fringes of the wild, there are those that believe rage and righteousness can coexist in a single being. Those who vow an Oath of Fervor strive to achieve balance between fury and reserve, using their divine fury to smite implacably evil foes while retaining their focus on good, with its demands for mercy and respect for life. They are among the fiercest warriors for the cause of good on the Material Plane, armed with divine spells, iron willed resistance to compulsions, and fearsome fury. Most who take the Oath of Fervor are wandering adventurers of some sort. Some are guerrilla fighters in evil kingdoms, working no overthrow tyrants and liberate oppressed peoples. Others are dungeon delvers, seeking to exterminate monstrous aberrations and vile creations from the face of the earth. Still others stalk city streets, sniffing out diabolical cults and their evil masters. Many under the Oath of Ferver are followers of Yggritte or Lugun and even more of them are members of the Knightly Order of the Ruby. Tenets of Fervor The tenets of the Oath of Fervor vary by paladin, but all the tenets revolve around passion and the persuit of justice and freedom. Paladins who uphold these tenets mete out justice and stand shoulder to shoulder with their barbarian brethren. Paladins who take the Oath of Fervor are nearly always chaotic good in alignment. The core principles are simple and variable. Live to the Fullest. Make a positive difference in another's life each day. Seek New Experiences. Do not let fear or insecurity stop you from achieving your goals. Each Lives Their Own Life. It is not for you to decide what is right or wrong for another to choose. Defend against tyranny, but beware becoming a tyrant yourself. Passion is Divinity. Creation is the fruit of the divine and passion is the fuel of creation. Do not hesitate to pursue what makes you happy. Oath Spells You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed. Channel Divinity When you take this oath at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options. Divine Fury. On your turn, as long as you are not wearing heavy armor, you can enter a divine fury, similar to the Barbarian rage ability, as a bonus action. While in your divine fury, you gain the following benefits: * You have advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws. * When you make a melee weapon attack using Strength, you gain a bonus to the damage roll equal to your proficiency bonus. * You have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. If you are able to cast spells, you can’t cast them or concentrate on them while under this effect. Your divine fury lasts for 1 minute. It ends early if you are knocked unconscious or if your turn ends and you haven’t attacked a hostile creature since your last turn or taken damage since then. You can also end your divine fury on your turn as a bonus action. Whirlwind Sprint. As a bonus action, you can give yourself a burst of speed. Until the start of your next turn your speed is doubled, you gain a +2 bonus to AC, have advantage on Dexterity saving throws, and gain an additional action. That action can be used only to take the Attack (one weapon attack only), Dash, Disengage, Hide, or Use an Object action. Unarmored Defense By 7th level, you begin to find armor very restrictive and your divine power makes up for the lack of armor. While you are not wearing any armor, your Armor Class equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Constitution modifier. You can use a shield and still gain this benefit. Boundless Zeal Starting at 15th level you gain one extra use of your''' Channel Divinity ability. Whirling Dervish At 20th level, you can overload yourself with zeal. Using your action, you undergo a transformation. For 1 hour, you gain the following benefits: • A whirlwind carries you aloft, granting you a flying speed of 60 feet. • You can make two additional melee weapon attacks as a bonus action each round Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest. Oath of the Martyr In a world where conflict usually means violence, where good and evil meet regularly on the field of battle, where might too often makes right and power is measured in gold pieces, some are a lone voice crying in the wilderness, calling for a change of heart. Those under an Oath of the Martyr are advocates for nonviolent resolution of conflict. * '''Suffer For Them. Better a sword strike you than an innocent. Your strength will carry you. * Sacrifice For Them. Never hesitate to give what you can to those in need. Your faith will sustain you. * Struggle For Them. Tire not in the quest to aid even those who may be unworthy. Your valor will drive you. * Die For Them. If your death will serve the cause of peace, die without hesitation. May who take this Oath are warriors who have mistakenly fought against the tenants of justice and peace and vow to redeem themselves. Some of those who take this Oath believe that they can serve the world more though inspiration than through a strong sword arm. That being said, a paladin under the Oath of the Martyr will not shy away from combat against true evil. Channel Divinity When you take this oath at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options. Divine Barrier. As an action, you can imbue one shield, armor, or piece of clothing that you touch with positive energy, using your Channel Divinity. For 1 minute, you add your Charisma modifier as an armor bonus to this item. The item also emits bright light in a 20-foot radius and dim light 20 feet beyond that. If the item is not already magical, it becomes magical and immune to damage from mundane sources, such as fire, for the duration. You can end this effect on your turn as part of any other action. If you fall unconscious, this effect ends. Sacred Martyrdom. As an action, you present your holy symbol and speak a prayer taking the wounds of your allies into yourself, using your Channel Divinity. Each allied creature that can see or hear you within 30 feet may choose to heal a number of hitpoints up to twice your character level. You take damage equal to the number of hitpoints healed in this way. If this damage reduces you to zero hitpoints, you immediately fall unconscious and must make a death saving throw. Oath Spells You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed. Aura of Peace Starting at 7th level, you and friendly creatures within 10 feet of you are immune to fear while you are conscious. At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet. Pacifying Touch Beginning at 15th level, you gains the ability to pacify hostile or angry creatures by touch. The effect is similar to the calm emotions spell. The paladin can affect only a single target with each use of the ability, and must touch the target. A touched creature receives no saving throw and spell resistance does not apply. The pacifying touch does not suppress positive emotions, just anger, rage, and hostility. The apostle of peace can make a level check as if casting dispel magic, using his character level as his caster level, to dispel mind-affecting spells affecting the target. The pacifying touch can only dispel spells that incite violent emotions in the target, such as fear or the barbarian rage ability. Risen Martyr At 20th level, you overflow with divine energy, preventing your own death for a limited time. Using your action, you undergo a transformation. For 1 minute, you gain the following benefits: • For the next 1 minute, all damage that would be dealt to you is added to a damage pool instead. At the end of the one minute, you take damage equal to the amount in the damage pool. You can reduce the damage in the damage pool by receiving any type of healing, as if it were normal hitpoints. At the end of the 1 minute, if this damage reduces your hitpoints to 0, you die. If you die before this minute is up, or as a result of taking the damage pool, you resurrect, as if by the Resurrection spell after 3 hours. • Your Aura of Peace extends to 60 ft. The first time any enemy demon, devil, dragon, or aberration enters the aura or starts its turn there during a battle, the creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw DC= 8 + your Charisma modifier or be Petrified for one minute. Once you use this feature, similar to the Resurrection spell, you take a −4 penalty to all attack rolls, saving throws, and ability checks. Every time you finish a long rest, the penalty is reduced by 1 until it disappears. You can not use this feature again until this penalty is gone. Oath of Tyranny Not all paladins swear loyalty to goodness, honor and morality. Some serve evil deities or their own ambitions above all else. These warriors strive to bend others to the will of their depravity, sin and ultimately their master, if they acknowledge one over themselves. Most who followed this oath swore loyalty to Ashmedai, although not all were inclined to serve a master. Tenets of the oath of Tyranny *'They Must Bow.' You are the master of darkness, and they will remember you. *'Do What You Must.' Seek out chaos and see it quelled. Follow through by any means necessary. *'Forget Everything.' The person you were before is dead. A new you was born with your oath. *'Embrace the Darkness.' The darkness thrives where light is banished. Embrace the darkness, learn to use it against those who would hide within. Oath of Tyranny Spells Channel Divinity When you take this Oath at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options. Dread Aspect. As an action, you channel the darkest of emotions and focuses them into a burst of magical menace. Each creature of your choice within 30 feet of you must make a Charisma saving throw if it can see you. On a failed save, the target is frightened of you for 1 minute. If a creature frightened by this effect ends its turn more than 30 feet away from you, it can attempt another Charisma saving throw to end the effect on it. DC = 8 + Charisma modifier + proficiency bonus. Invoke Agony As an action, you present your holy symbol, invoking your dark master's power to inflict misery. Choose a creature you can see within 60 feet. The creature makes a Wisdom saving throw (DC = 8 + Charisma modifier + prof bonus). On a failure, they are prone for 1 minute due to the pain inflicted upon them. While prone in this way, they cannot take reactions, or bonus actions. At the start of each of their turns, the creature may repeat the saving throw. On a failure, the creature must remain prone. On a success, the creature can stand back up again, having been freed from this effect. Baleful Touch Upon choosing this Oath at level 3, you can no longer use Lay on Hands on another creature. You can still use it on yourself, however. As an action you may attempt to touch a target and draw on the negative forces and cast bestow curse. Using this action consumes 10 points from your pool. Also, damage dealt by your Divine Smite class feature is dealt as necrotic, not radiant. Aura of Malice Starting at 7th level, you and any creatures allied to you within 10 feet of you, gain a bonus to melee weapon damage rolls equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of +1). A creature can benefit from this feature from only one antipaladin at a time. At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet. Dark Resistance At 15th level, you gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical weapons. Dread Lord At 20th-level, you can, as an action, surround yourself with an aura of gloom that lasts for 1 minute. The aura reduces any bright light in a 30-foot radius around you to dim light. Whenever an enemy that is frightened by you starts its turn in the aura, it takes 4d10 psychic damage. Additionally, you and creatures you choose in the aura are draped in deeper shadow. Creatures that rely on sight have disadvantage on attack rolls against creatures draped in this shadow. While the aura lasts, you can use a bonus action on your turn to cause the shadows in the aura to attack one creature. You make a melee spell attack against the target. If the attack hits, the target takes necrotic damage equal to 3d10 + your Charisma modifier. After activating the aura, you can't do so again until your finish a long rest.